Industrial Transformation Research Program
$4M grant for a University to collaborate with industry to establish research hubs
About
Through the new Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Program, the Government will invest $236 million in quality R&D partnerships that will help transform our industries so they can prosper in a richer, fairer and greener Australia.
The Industrial Transformation Research Program will:
- focus on research areas that are vital for Australia’s future economic prosperity—such as engineering, materials science and nanotechnology, communications, chemical engineering and biotechnology;
- support Industrial PhD students and researchers to gain ‘hands-on’, practical skills and experience in these important areas; and
- foster important partnerships between business and universities.
To achieve this, the Industrial Transformation Research Program will fund research hubs and training centres.
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
The Industrial Transformation Research Program hubs will encourage R&D projects that could help solve the big problems facing our industries today. In these hubs, managers, researchers and industry workers will work together to address everything from our need to reduce pollution in our manufacturing processes to our struggle to compete locally with a high Australian dollar.
Up to 20 research hubs will be established nationwide with initial funding for up to four years. This funding term gives our researchers and industry partners the flexibility to undertake comprehensive research programs that will help tackle our big industry challenges, as well as short-term projects that may help answer emerging issues or questions.
The Government will invest up to $1 million per year in each Industrial Transformation Research Program hub with this investment being matched by industry partners.
Industrial Transformation Training Centres
The Industrial Transformation Research Program training centres will foster close partnerships between university-based researchers and the industry members who will use the research outcomes.
Up to 50 training centres will be established nationwide. Around 20 of the centres will include training in social impact, inclusion and industrial and community transformation.
As part of the Industrial Transformation Research Program training centres component, the Government will award up to 600 industrial PhDs to embed students in industry settings, directly harnessing research capability to address industry needs.
Up to $1 million per year will be provided for each centre for up to three years. The 50 centres will be selected over a five year period.
Expert Assistance
The Industrial Transformation Research Program applications will open in March 2012. Grant deadlines are normally only 4 -6 weeks from the announcement date. This does not generally allow enough time to form a competitive application. Universities that are more successful are the ones that already have the project scoped and costed.
Industrial Transformation Research Program activites that can commence now include:
- Identify Research Strengths
- Align to National Research Priorities
- Define National Impact
- Design Research Program
- Project costing
- Develop participant prospectus
- Approach industry partners
- Approach research partners
- Sign up participants
- Complete the application
Industrial Transformation Research Program Application Form 
PDF [111KB]
Contact us on 03 9005 6789 or email to see how we can assist with forming your competitive bid for the Industrial Transformation Research Program.
